LEESVILLE, La., Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, one of the country's largest mortgage bankers, presented U.S. Army Staff Sgt. and Purple Heart recipient Edward Cummings and his wife April with the keys to a "mortgage-free" home during Veterans Day weekend in Leesville, Louisiana. Cummings, a New Hampshire native stationed at nearby Fort Polk, is the fifth veteran to receive a mortgage-free home through Fairway's donations. He was honored as part of Operation Grateful Nation, a special celebration held in honor of American veterans and attended by several local military leaders, including Fort Polk Brigadier General K.K. Chinn.

The gift of a mortgage-free home was made possible through the donations of Fairway employees along with the Boot Campaign and the Military Warriors Support Foundation's Homes 4 Wounded Heroes program, two non-profit organizations supporting returning American military troops. Fairway Independent Mortgage employees have pledged several hundred thousand dollars in donations over a 12-month period, in association with these programs, to help provide mortgage-free homes to military heroes who have been wounded while serving their country. Over the past several months, other heroes have been honored in Austin, Texas; Hollywood, California; Tucson, Arizona and Washington, D.C. After acquiring distressed properties from financial institutions, the Military Warriors Support Foundation uses funds provided by Fairway to provide accommodations and modifications for the specific heroes.

Cummings had made it his goal to join the military following the 9/11 attacks and was injured while serving as a scout platoon squad leader in Afghanistan. After undergoing six months of physical therapy, Cummings volunteered to return to Afghanistan and completed his deployment.

"Our military personnel do a tremendous job serving our country and protecting American values, so it's a huge honor for us to show our support of these brave and selfless individuals," said Steve Jacobson, CEO of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. "We are very proud of Staff Sgt. Cummings for his dedication to service and we're thankful to the Boot Campaign and the Military Warriors Support Foundation for making this gift happen."

In addition to Cummings' new three-bedroom home donated by Chase Bank and located in Edward Cummings' hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire, the Cummings will receive three years of family and financial mentoring.

Combat wounded veterans or unmarried Gold Star spouses of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom are encouraged to apply for a mortgage-free home by visiting www.MilitaryWarriors.org/openhomes.

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation Founded in 1996 by Steve Jacobson and Dean Anderson, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is a mortgage banker headquartered in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The company has 145 locations and approximately 1,400 employees nationwide. The corporate vision is to foster relationships and create a team atmosphere, empowering offices to operate autonomously in their day-to-day operations, while still maintaining strict compliance and consistency across the board. Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation provides all necessary support in the areas of personnel, accounting and compliance. For more information, please visit www.FairwayIndependentMC.com.

About the Boot Campaign The Boot Campaign is a 501c3 non-profit military appreciation and veteran awareness campaign based in Texas. Launched in 2009 by a group of women known as The Boot Girls, the Boot Campaign's mission is to express gratitude to the troops, spread awareness of the needs of military personnel and support their transition home. Through the sale of signature military combat boots, General Public Donations, and Corporate Sponsorship the Boot Campaign donates proceeds to programs caring for military personnel, past and present, healing them from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, "When They Come Back, We Give Back". www.BootCampaign.com

Military Warriors Support Foundation Military Warriors Support Foundations (MWSF) a 501c3 was founded in 2007 by General Leroy Sisco, retired 3-star general and the organization's CEO. General Sisco brings 42 years of service to our country and a rich background of experiences and leadership roles. The General has a great understanding of the many challenges our heroes face after being injured in service and is determined to assist those in greatest need. MWSF is based in San Antonio, Texas. MWSF awards mortgage-free homes to wounded heroes injured during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The homes are for families who have severe and/or unique circumstances due to their injuries received while serving our country. In addition to the home, the families receive 3 years of family and financial mentoring. Families may apply for a home by visiting www.MilitaryWarriors.org and completing the application form.

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